Since the times when your great, great grandpa used one of those ear trumpets to hear, things have changed. Even a decade ago, hearing aids weren’t able to do the things they can do now. The innovation of hearing aid technology allows users to participate in activities that were unlikely at one point. Just think about these seven things hearing aids are currently able to do.

1. Stay Put Even When You are Moving

Jogging or riding a bike while wearing a hearing aid would have been risky in the past. When you are moving around, hearing aids can fall out even high quality ones. Now it’s possible to wear your hearing aids when you’re working out whether you are a novice or an athlete.

However, the change is not just in the technology. Hearing aids that fall out can still get damaged or lost. The basic concept of a hearing aid retention cord solves the problem. It’s kind of like putting your hearing aids on a lanyard. They slide on to the devices and then clip to your clothes for safety. Kids will also benefit from hearing aid retention cords.

2. Resist Water

While it is true many hearing aids are water resistant, they still don’t do well when completely submersed. Waterproof hearing aids and some accessories will be necessary if you plan to swim with your hearing aid.
Raincoats are available for your hearing aids. Waterproof Sleeves fit tightly over the devices to shield them from water damage while still letting you hear. A cord also comes with most sleeves so you won’t lose your hearing aid when enjoying summer activities.

The second thing you might want to get is a dehumidifier for your hearing aids. It doesn’t matter how careful you are, some amount of water is going to get into the case. The dehumidifier dries the units out without damaging their fragile electronic parts.

3. Pair With Your Smartphone

Now when your phone rings you won’t have to remove your hearing aids. However, certain brands don’t have this feature. You want to invest in hearing aids that are Bluetooth-enabled or have the wireless streaming capability. The same way that earbuds or headphones use Bluetooth to connect to your phone, these type of hearing aids also do that.

Want to stream a movie? Wireless comes in handy in this situation, as well. Sound from your MP3 player or TV can be received by a hearing aid that has Bluetooth technology.

The majority of hearing aids have a telephone adaptation, as well, that works for cell phones or landlines. Signals from your phone can be heard in your hearing aid thanks to a telecoil.

4. Learn

That’s right, machine learning features are available in many models. Certain devices will make volume adjustments depending on the environment by remembering your preference and you don’t have to do anything.

You can also just push a button and load a particular setup stored in one of the numerous programs.

5. Make the Ringing Go Away

Hearing loss and tinnitus go hand in hand for lots of people. Hearing aids that come with tinnitus maskers or sound generators will play a low-level sound in the background that covers up the ringing, so you hear sounds better. The ringing will subside after the masking sound cancels the tinnitus. Tinnitus masking is a particular feature, though, and not available from all brands. Make certain you ask for it if you are shopping for hearing aids.

6. Store Data

Data logging is one of the more modern features in hearing aid technology but a powerful one. Volume adjustments, when you use the hearing aid, and background noises you come across are examples of things that are logged by these devices.

The advantage is your audiologist or hearing aid retailer can pull up this data to make crucial adjustments to the devices to improve their sound or give you insight to go on when buying new hearing aids.

7. Go Remote

You can quickly adjust the volume, change the program, or use your hearing aid as a Bluetooth streaming device if it comes with a remote.

All of these functions permit you to do things that weren’t possible years ago even though they aren’t all brand new. Hearing aid tech is constantly advancing, too. If you’re buying new hearing aids, be certain to check out the latest and greatest features. To see them all, schedule an appointment with a hearing expert today.